The present invention relates generally to wireless communication systems, and more particularly to timing synchronization operations of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS).
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system which requires a very stable local timing reference to ensure accurate navigation of a user with a receiver. There are currently three GPS systems: the NAVSTAR Global Positioning System controlled by the United States Defense Department; the GLONASS maintained by the Russian Republic; and the GALILEO system proposed in Europe.
To decode these satellite signals, a GPS receiver first acquires the signals transmitted by a minimum number of satellites. GPS receives require a very accurate internal time base in order to lock on to the GPS signals and provide a location fix.
A GNSS system, such as a GPS system, often includes a module which continuously tracks an object's movement and reports the object's position to facilitate navigation. Conventional GNSS tracking devices require relatively high power to support intermittent tracking applications. In battery powered devices, such as digital cameras that have tracking capability to tag the pictures with their corresponding locations, low power consumption is highly desirable.
Accordingly, there is a need to lower the power consumption and provide a faster location fix of GPS receivers. The present invention provides a technical solution to reduce the power consumption and simultaneously enable a fast location fix time